Princeton University Athletics
Princeton University
Big AL Open
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Aemisegger Sets Another DeNunzio Record As Tigers Close Out Big Al Open
December 07, 2008 | Women's Swimming and Diving
Junior All-America swimmer Alicia Aemisegger set another DeNunzio Pool record, this time in the 200 fly, while three freshmen teammates made event finals during Sunday's session of the 2008 Big Al Open. It was the final event of the 2008 portion of the schedule, and head coach Susan Teeter hopes the team can use the weekend as a springboard into the major challenges ahead.
"I'm pleased with the way we competed this weekend, and we still have a long way to go if we want to achieve our goals and defend our title," Teeter said after Princeton finished third in the competition, behind the likes of No. 6 Florida and Utah. "The competition in our league has set a tough standard early in the season and will only get stronger. I believe we will go into the Ivy League championships as the underdogs. Our focus is simply to swim fast. That is all we can control. It's going to take a special effort every day until the Ivy championships to make sure we have a chance, and I believe we have that kind of fight in us. We have proven that over the years."
Princeton saw tough competition this past weekend, especially from a Florida team that won the Big Al Open with 962.5 team points. Utah placed second with 729 points, while Princeton finished third with 633 points. Columbia placed fourth with 343; Princeton also claims a 209-89 dual meet victory over Brown during the weekend.
Sunday's final session began with the 1650, where Princeton freshman Aislinn Smalling took fifth overall in 16:58.75. Sophomore Ming Ong placed 10th in 17:08.38, and she followed that up with Princeton's best finish in the 200 back, a 14th-place time of 2:05.90.
Sophomore Megan Waters closed out a terrific weekend by placing second in the 100 free with a time of 50.78, while senior co-captain Justina DiFazio took fifth in 51.72. Junior Courtney Kilkuts added a second-place finish in the 200 breast (2:15.88), while freshmen Kerry Gruendel (2:23.28) and Jillian Altenburger (2:23.39) took seventh and eighth, respectively.
Princeton's only win Sunday came from its top performer over the last three years; Aemisegger set a pool record and hit an NCAA B-cut when she swam the 200 fly in 1:55.85. Teammate Monika Friedman also reached the finals and placed eighth in 2:03.83.
The evening ended with the quartet of Waters, Emily Trautner, DiFazio and Aemisegger placing third in the 400 free relay in a time of 3:23.69.
Princeton is now off until Sunday, Jan. 25, when it takes on Dartmouth in a double dual meet at DeNunzio Pool. The final home event for both teams, it will also be Senior Day.